Safety-envelope



(No Model.)

A. MORTENSON. SAFETY ENVELOPE. No. 555,613. Patented Mar. 3,, 1896.

UNITED STATES PAT NT OFFICE.

ANDREWV MORTENSON, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

SAFETY-ENVELO PE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 555,613, dated March 3, 1896.

Application filed April 27, 1895. Serial No. 547,815. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ANDREW MoRTENsoN, a citizen of Sweden, and a resident of Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety-Envelopes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

This invention relates to envelopes, and the object thereof is to provide an envelope of the usual form and appearance which cannot be opened after it has been once sealed without destroying the envelope.

The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, of which the accompanying drawings form a part, in which- Figure 1 represents an envelope made and sealed according to my invention; Fig. 2, a plan of the blank from which the envelope is formed; Fig. 3, a similar view showing the flap folded; Fig. 4, a section on the line so a: of Fig. 1, and Fig. 5 a view of a slight'modification.

In the practice of my invention I cut from a sheet of paper of the usual charactera blank of the form shown in Fig. 2, having the body portion A, the side B, and the ends 0, and the usual flap D. On the inner side or surface of the side B, I place a thin layer or coating of shellac E, and at the outer edge thereof is formed a slot F. The flap D is provided with a tongue or projection G, which is gummed on its outer surface, as shown at H, and the inner surface of said flap is also gummed in the usual manner along the edges thereof, as shown at K, as are also the inner edges of the side B, as shown at L.

In folding the parts of the envelope the ends 0 are first folded over in the usual manner. The side B is then folded over the end pieces 0 and sealed thereto in the usual manner, when the envelope will be ready for use.

When it is desired to seal the envelope, the flap D is folded and sealed as usual and the tongue or projection G thereon is inserted through the slot F in the side B, as shown in Fig. 1, the gummed outer surface H thereof having been first moistened or wet, in which position said gummed surface of the tongue G will come in contact with the shellac E on the inner surface of the side B, and by pressing down said side the parts will be securely sealed together, and the envelope cannot be opened without destroying the same or leaving visible evidence of the fact that it has been tampered with.

The object of using the shellac in the manner shown and described is to prevent the unsealing and withdrawal of the tongue H by the use of steam, as steam or moisture will not penetrate the shellac or loosen the gummed surface of the tongue therefrom.

In Fig. 5 I have shown a slight modification, which consists in attaching to the end or inner side of one of the end pieces a piece or strip M, one side of which is gummed, as shown at N, and when the separate ends 0 are folded and sealed to said strip they will be securely held in place and the other parts of the envelope may be folded and sealed, as hereinbefore described.

It will thus be seen that I accomplish the object of my invention by means of a construction which is exceedingly simple and efficient and which is perfectly adapted to accomplish the object for which it is intended.

Having fully described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent- An envelope consisting of a blank, comprising a body piece, two end pieces, a side and a flap, the inner edges of the side of the flap being gummed in the usual manner, and the inner surface of the side being provided with shellac, and a slot formed therein, outside of the shellac, and the inner edges thereof being also gummed, and the flap being provided with a tongue or projection adapted to enter said slot in the side the outer surface of which is gummed and adapted to come in contact with said shellac and a strip or piece one side of which is gummed and in contact with which the ends are folded substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that. I claim the foregoing as my inventionI have signed my name, in presence of two witnesses, this 25th day of April, 1895.

ANDREW MORTENSON. Witnesses:

PERCY T. GRIFFITH, A. M. GUsAoK, 

